Sangita Iyer2016-12-09T22:23:21-05:00Sangita Iyerhttp://www.huffingtonpost.ca/author/index.php?author=sangita-iyerCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Sangita IyerGood old fashioned elbow grease.Dire Concerns Of Tuberculosis Re-Emergence In Asian Elephantstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2016:/theblog//3.128181142016-11-08T09:59:38-05:002016-11-08T09:59:46-05:00Sangita Iyerhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sangita-iyer/reemerging disease in captive elephants, with increasing numbers of cases reported in the past two decades from different countries. Asia in particular houses a large population of captive elephants including 3400-3600 of them in India alone. Reports from Asian countries indicate that it is not unusual to find TB on postmortem examination in captive elephants.

According to Elsevier, a medical Journal published in May 2011, of the 446 elephants living in the U.S. between 1996 and 2013, fully 57 (12.4 per cent) had received a diagnosis of TB infection, a surprising number given the low rates of TB among humans in the U.S.

Dr. Susan Mikota has been investigating TB since it emerged in elephants in the U.S. in 1996. She is the Director of Elephant Care International that supported the initial elephant TB study in India. Research in Southern India found 20 per cent of the 350 elephants in Kerala were reactive on the STAT‐PAK test, a precursor to the currently available DPP Vet TB test, licensed by the USDA as a screening test for TB in elephants.

In Kerala, 19 captive elephants have died this year through October. Animal welfare groups suspect at least two were TB-infected. Heritage Animal Task Force Secretary Mr. Venkitachalam decries, even after the orders from the Guruvayur temple principal secretary, the authorities failed to segregate 15 TB-suspect elephants. Additionally, the HATF secretary says he is convinced that two elephants from Guruvayur Temple's Punnathoor Kotta that died this year were infected with TB:

"[A]s 13 of them stand on their urine and feces creating a prime environment for diseases like foot rot and TB. And sadly, post mortem results are never made public."

In an exclusive interview with me, Dr.Mikota voices similar concerns, "the elephants at that temple are highly stressed and live in crowded conditions with many management questions, all of which could increase susceptibility to disease."

For humans, TB is already a pandemic, and reported to be one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide. According to World Health Organization's 2016 report, six countries account for 60 per cent of the global cases of TB, with India leading the count at 20 per cent, followed by Indonesia, China, Nigeria, Pakistan and South Africa.

"Given how endemic TB is among humans in India and how political TB is as a disease I think there is reason for concern. Certainly from a One-Health standpoint, elephants are part of the TB equation in the range countries," says Mikota.

The One Health movement argues for the integration of human and veterinary medicine, so the health and well-being of all animal species can be protected. Under the One-Health umbrella is a branch called zoonotic diseases, which simply means diseases caused by microorganisms that can spread from animals to humans.

M. tuberculosis, the human TB strain spreads among humans through respiratory droplets. Inter-species transmission of TB between elephants and humans has been documented, and public health evaluations in the USA have recorded a risk for human exposure from infected elephants.

"In the U.S. many facilities that have had TB in elephants have also had staff that reacted on skin test and were treated. The recent TB cases at the Oregon Zoo in Portland also had human cases reported in the news."

But as far as Kerala is concerned, one of the vets who spoke with me on condition of anonymity said, he fears reverse zoonoses - that is TB is being spread from humans to elephants, given the close interactions with elephants in religious places.

Of dire concern to veterinarians is that undetected elephant TB may spill over from captive elephants to free-ranging wildlife. There were reported cases in a wild elephant in Sri Lanka and one in an African elephant that had been raised in an orphanage and was released. So, TB is already in the wild probably because of factors like habitat encroachment that make the spread of disease easier.

"This is my greatest concern. That TB would become established in the wild. There is not much we could do. Spread of M. bovis (the bovine strain) is already a huge problem in South Africa among buffalo in Kruger Natl Park and has spilled over into 10 other mammalian species."

TB could be catastrophic for the Asian elephant population, for three reasons. First, Asian elephants are an endangered species, teetering ever so precariously on a delicate balance. Secondly, more than 60 per cent of elephants live in India, according to a world renowned ecologist Dr. Raman Sukumar. Thirdly, and most importantly, TB is endemic in India, making it imperative for the nation to adopt proactive measures.

Early detection is key to preventing the spread of TB. Rather than the age old way of diagnosing TB using the sputum from the trunk, which is extremely cumbersome and time consuming, a rapid method, the DPP, licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture can be used to screen elephants. This is a blood test that identifies antibodies against TB that can predict TB months and sometimes years before the disease can be confirmed by culture. Elephants identified as TB suspects based on this test can undergo early treatment or increased testing (by culture). This in turn can limit the transmission of TB to other susceptible animals and humans.

Among other suggestions to prevent the spread of this deadly disease, human-elephant interactions need to be limited. Stringent enforcement to maintain safe distance between the elephants and general public is vitally important. Infected elephants need to be monitored, and segregated or treated following a strict regimen. Mikota is concerned:

"There is clearly TB in elephants in India. Unless a plan is put into place TB can become a political nightmare. The 2010 Elephant TB Guidelines in the U.S. and those used in Nepal can be a starting point. The health and well-being of both humans and elephants is at stake. TB is a serious disease and must be approached from a One-Health standpoint."

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]]>Optimism As Fate Of India's Captive Elephants Hangs In Balancetag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2016:/theblog//3.122401362016-09-29T12:30:37-04:002016-09-29T12:30:47-04:00Sangita Iyerhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sangita-iyer/petition for captive elephants filed by Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center (WRRC), Ms. Suparna Baksi Ganguly, (SG) the Hon. President of WRRC weighs in on the future of India's heritage animal, and the precarious situation of Kerala's elephants. She is cautiously optimistic about the outcome, and calls on the government, animal welfare groups and the public to work collectively in order to provide adequate welfare for India's cultural icon.

SI: Please provide an overall status of the SC case as it stands now.

SG: As it stands now, the hearing on 21st September has been adjourned to Oct. 21, 2016. The Solicitor General requested that the matter be listed for final hearing. In the interim, the Court has directed no other Interlocutory Applications will be filed.

SI: What outcome do you expect?

SG: I expect that the Supreme Court will look into the prayers of the main petition which are wide ranging and focus on cruelties and abuse, ownership issues, rescue centers, employment of elephants in improper activities and stringent application of the Laws on all captive elephants in India as Schedule1 wildlife.

SI: Do you think evidence provided by Gods in Shackles documentary would have made any impact?

SG: Definitely. The film's impact has jarred the "cultural" sensibilities of the common public in Kerala. The visual shots from the film have also been submitted to the Court. Sadly, SC does not allow videos or film screenings but the volume of data submitted with large color photos of atrocities has made an impact, judging by the Interim Orders so far that have been directed by the Hon'ble Justice Dipak Mishra to all the States in India.

Gods in Shackles still shot used in the Supreme Court of India

SI: If they ban use of elephants how long do you think it would take for states to implement?

SG: I cannot imagine that the States would rush to execute such an Order, so it may be conditional at one level and unconditional on another. We cannot really anticipate either the Final Order or the process of implementation but at least the states have formed the Captive Elephant Welfare Committees where there is scope for complaints to be redressed.

SI: If they ban use of elephants in circuses, or festivals, is there an alternate plan for the 4,000 captive elephants in India?

SG: We have made a prayer for the States to form Elephant Rescue Centers on Govt. land and with State and Central budget allocation. The detailing of that will be left to the individual Governments to take up. In my opinion, there will be certain amount of uncertainty faced by the custodians and users of such animals and the first generation of elephants post such an order, may face hardship. In the long run, it would have a very beneficial effect. The trade lines would be severed and the vast amounts of cash and black money and animal suffering that happen in procuring elephants for temples and private owners would have to be inevitably phased out. If demand drops and elephant displays have no value, then supply would also be affected in the true style of market economics!

SI: Who will take care of them, Government or animal welfare groups?

SG: The Government, since they have a permanency that an NGO would find it difficult to replicate. When we talk of elephants we talk easily of a commitment that can range up to 70 years. At the outer limit. It is good if the government collaborates with committed individuals and NGOs to share the burden of this massive, mammoth task.

SI: Where will they be released? Is there enough space for them?

SG: Rarely, can they be released! Most suffer from unique diseases, deformities, chronic infections and inability to adapt to the wild. In fact, they may also communicate diseases to the wild elephants. Hence their first entry should be to a space where there is proper sheltering and veterinary care and then reviewed periodically over the years. Also India's forest covers are shrinking and corridors and passages essential for elephants to survive are disappearing at an alarming rate. Wherever such elephants are released, they would be blamed for escalating human elephant conflicts and possibly be killed since they have no fear of humans and would readily approach villages for food, if hungry.

Gods in Shackles still shot used in the Supreme Court of India

SI: The problem is unique for Kerala as all of them are bull elephants and they are solitary animals. How can this be handled?

SG: It is a horrid, unnatural situation. In the wild, mature tuskers do not even occupy the same spaces... In Kerala, such elephants are tied and made to rub shoulders with each other! The deep invisible stress that they go through is probably unimaginable to humans because they have these animals under control through the most heinous methods.

One would need vast spaces to house them and that too would be a travesty because it would be a minuscule of what male elephants require to roam and forage and for their mental and physical health. That is why I feel that the first generation of such elephants would suffer in some ways but at least the future generations would be saved from such regressive practices.

SI: What do you think needs to be done?

SG: It really depends on the directions that the Supreme Court gives on this issue. There is no certainty that the prayers will be granted as we have envisioned. In such a case, we will need to rework strategies. The only important thing is to grant some critical relief for these suffering elephants all over the country.

SI: There are many animal welfare groups operating in silos, and yet knowledge and resource sharing is important, what's your take on this?

SG: It is extremely important that all animal welfare groups work in close harmony and if this does not happen, we would not be doing the right thing for the elephants. The problems are vast, the elephants needing help are many and people and organizations need to mature and develop to assist the Governments to take on this task.

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]]>Elephant Death Toll Rises As World Awaits Supreme Court Verdicttag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2016:/theblog//3.119695082016-09-12T15:17:32-04:002016-09-12T15:17:38-04:00Sangita Iyerhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sangita-iyer/16 captive and five wild elephants have died due to human interference -- that is more than two elephants a month.

The most recent casualty was a bull elephant named Manissery Devidathan, only 52 years of age. According to the Heritage Animal Task Force (HATF) Secretary, Mr. Venkitachalam, this elephant was forced to stand beneath the scorching sun in the same spot for more than a week, his hind legs paralyzed due to immobility, part of his right ear missing after ruthless torture, and his body swollen. For almost his entire life, this elephant was forced to participate in festivals, and transported between districts, with no rest during the festival seasons, a fate that all captive elephants of Kerala endure.

They lay wreath on his body after torturing him to death. Photo by Rajeev N Kurup

The same evening a 32-year-old cow elephant Jayasree, also died at an awfully young age! She was used illegally for elephant rides at a privately owned Valara Elephant Center in Idukki District. The HATF Secretary claims the center isn't authorized to ride elephants as it doesn't have the registration certificate required by the Performing Animals (Registration) Rule 2001, and this is a punishable offence.

This image was taken a month ago inside the unauthorized elephant ride center. Photo by HATF

On September the fourth, even as people in Mumbai were ushering in Lord Ganesh (the most popular Hindu God with an elephant face) for his birthday celebrations, a young elephant died a miserable death. The 22-year-old bull named Lakshmanan was tethered 24/7 and unable to move. His puss filled legs in this image below reveal sad tales of torture and neglect. He was owned by a man named Shaji, whose family is said to possess 18 elephants.

Sad plight of 22-year-old Lakshmanan. Photo by Rajeev N Kurup

Wild Asian elephants are also in peril. The forests are shrinking as people are encroaching into the wilderness, pushing elephants into smaller areas and sparse vegetation. So naturally, these elephants return to the agricultural land that once belonged to them. Sadly, poisonous pesticides and electrical barb wires have killed at least five elephants this year alone. They are doomed if they live in the forests and doomed if they come out, as human activities are decimating them.

A young calf dead near a tea plantation in Wyanad District. Photo by Venkitachalam

On September 8th a young calf, just six years of age was found dead inside a Tea Estate near the Wayanad forests, poisonous pesticides seem to have caused the tragic death. On August 25th a cow elephant was electrocuted in the same area. But no arrests have been made in connection to even the previous deaths of four wild elephants spanning over the last four months.

A female elephant was electrocuted near Wyanad forests. Photo by Venkitachalam

Human-elephant conflict isn't new to India. With 1.3 billion people living in a 3.3 million square kilometer area, the less than 26,000 Asian elephants stand no match against the humans that continue to multiply by the second. According to Dr. Raman Sukumar, a world renowned ecologist and professor at the Indian Institute of Science interviewed for Gods in Shackles documentary, out of the approximately 40,000 Asian elephants around the world, more than 60 per cent of them thrive in India, with 4,000 to 4,500 elephants in captivity. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has declared Asian elephants an endangered species. They were elevated to India's heritage animal status in 2010, and are considered to be the embodiment of Lord Ganesh.

But regardless, the reverence that was once bestowed upon these gentle giants has deteriorated drastically in the past few decades. These sentient, social animals are being used as cash machines and exploited for profit in circuses, zoos, tourism and worst of all in cultural festivals under the guise of religion. Not a single species on the planet is as deceptive and destructive as human species.

So, when will this suffering end? In April 2015, the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center launched a petition against the states that use captive elephants for entertainment and tourism. Several hearings and 16 months later the Supreme Court of India is expected to deliver a verdict in the next two weeks. And the world anxiously awaits a judgement that will seal the fate of an iconic animal.

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]]>There Is No Denying The Cruelty Of Putting Gods In Shacklestag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2016:/theblog//3.114146902016-08-10T12:06:20-04:002016-08-10T12:59:01-04:00Sangita Iyerhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sangita-iyer/Gods in Shackles. In a historic move the Speaker of Kerala's General Assembly Sree Ramakrishnan screened the film on the legislature's grounds flanked by the mass media that covered the story across India.

Kerala General Assembly Speaker facing the press after screening Gods in Shackles.

But as expected, the release of this culturally sensitive film has angered temple authorities, owners and brokers who abuse elephants to make money. Sadly, instead of trying to right the wrong, they are denying the truth and putting out misleading information to confuse the public. I am writing this article in my defence, attempting to dispel the distorted messages and shed light on the truth.

To begin, the Gods in Shackles documentary explores cultural practices because we discovered that many people use them as "smoke screen" to exploit elephants for profit. But the film also celebrates Kerala's rich traditions that don't use animals and portrays the country's unique natural treasures.

To our knowledge there are NO cultural traditions that purport use of elephants. Indeed Kerala's most revered priest, Akkeramon Kalidasan Bhattathirppad, bluntly states that they are using elephants to make money.

In recent years, churches and mosques have also begun using elephants in their religious festivals, as they want to grab their share of the economic pie. But in the process the elephants are paraded beneath the scorching sun, deprived of their basic necessities of life, including food, water, exercise and mating.

In reality, all religions promote love and compassion for all living beings. In fact, Hindu philosophies do not condone any form of abuse. As far back as 1500 BC, the holy Isha-Upanishad declared:

"The universe along with its creatures belongs to the land. No creature is superior to any other. Human beings should not be above nature. Let no one species encroach over the rights and privileges of other species."

The basic right of every living being is freedom. In the wild they wander for up to 18 hours a day and balance their massive bodies. But in captivity, these supremely intelligent animals are tethered in torturous positions in one spot 24/7.

Undoubtedly, elephants have been part of Indian cultural since time immemorial. They were used in combat warfare when there were no weapons of mass destruction, and for logging when there were no machines. But despite the significant technological advancements in Kerala that houses some of the most progressive minds and literate people, they are clinging onto cultural practices and turning a blind eye to animal cruelty that never existed in ancient times. They're condoning the suffering of the embodiment of Lord Ganesha under the veil of cultural celebrations.

Some of the prominent Keralites openly calling for a gradual ban of elephants in temples and festivals include the state's revered priest, Akkeramon Kalidasan Battathirippad, and the most beloved poet laureate, Smt. Sugadha Kumari, who are featured in the film. They know all too well that an overnight ban is impossible.

Given that so many people are speaking out against cultural practices that torture elephants, maybe a tsunami of change is on its way to wipe out misguided practices. Over the centuries, human cultures have transitioned, and our species has adapted and thrived. But make no mistake about it, deniers will continue to resist this inevitable and inconvenient change, and justify their practices by distorting the film's message to create confusion.

For instance, our social impact campaign absolutely does not encourage people to boycott temples, but rather we ask our supporters to hold peace vigils outside temples, and demand the release of the tortured elephants into an elephant camp or rehab center.

There are also FALSE allegations that temple authorities were deceived by the filmmakers. The truth is, we obtained permission to film a ritual called "Seeveli" performed by the elephant named Thiruvambadi Lakshmi, and then openly gathered footage.

Some deniers say that the producers forced the mahouts to apply medication to the eye injuries of Lakshmi. This is a blatant lie! If indeed the mahout did what was told by strangers, it casts doubt on the mahout's love for Lakshmi. The truth is we discovered the exact time they administer the medication and, with their permission, we filmed the act, an atrocious act to be sure, one that we were unprepared to face.

Sadly, the mahouts didn't even realize that what they were doing was wrong, which is why they allowed us to film in the first place. It just goes to show that there is so much ignorance and denial surrounding the exploitation of elephants.

The videos can't lie, but people can. In traditional cinéma vérité style, it's the camera that unveils truth, and the truth has been exposed. The film does include undercover footage, including cell phone videos supplied by reliable activists, and they have been credited accordingly in the film. But some videos have recently emerged on You Tube.

Gods in Shackles will continue to stand the test of time. But only conscious thinkers will acknowledge the truth and muster up courage to use the film as a tool to end the insurmountable suffering of these highly social animals that deserve to roam freely. So, rather than waste precious energy denying the obvious, they would be better utilized forging productive collaborations and solutions to right the wrong.

Meantime, let's not forget that these gentle giants arrived on our planet more than two billion years ago, long before us. Human activities are pushing them to the brink of extinction, with less than 40,000 Asian elephants in the wild and captivity, fully 60 per cent in India.

But the rate at which this global treasure, India's heritage animal and Kerala's state emblem, are being kidnapped from the forest guarantees their decimation within a few decades. The daunting question is, what would happen to cultural celebrations when these sentient beings have been wiped out from the face of this earth?

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]]>Solidarity And Kinship With Nature And Non-Humanstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2016:/theblog//3.98171382016-05-02T15:19:41-04:002016-05-02T15:19:53-04:00Sangita Iyerhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sangita-iyer/

"Earth has enough for our needs, but not enough for our greed." - Mahatma Gandhi

The political, economic, religious, educational and cultural systems, that served us well when human population was less than a billion, are no longer working for a planet dominated by 7.3 billion of us. Much like the cancer cells that multiply and feed on its host eventually killing it, humans are multiplying at an exponential rate and killing our earth. The population growth has overburdened ecological and social systems.

At this juncture in our planet's history it may be worth pausing and contemplating that the well-being of human species depends on the well-being of the biosphere. Earth has provided optimal conditions for life's evolution, but human activities are offsetting the balance. We need to stop polluting the water, soil, and air, and stop destroying the rich array of plant and animal species. We need to hold a sense of sacredness and revere the earth, taking from it only what's needed. The protection of Earth's vitality, diversity, and beauty is indeed a sacred trust.

Since time immemorial, ethnocentric values (caring for oneself, community and nation) used to be ethically sufficient. Worldcentric values were not required because the consequences of our actions were inconspicuous, in fact we couldn't even imagine the notion of global responsibility. But there is a difference between living in an ecologically conscious way with responsibility to our community and future generations, and living in a way that considers our impact on the earth as a whole.

An expansion in care and concern from ethnocentric to worldcentric values is a big leap, not a small step. And in embracing this worldview, genuine cooperation among humans becomes an immense moral and spiritual challenge, because human cultures are weaved in a complex tapestry that simultaneously supports autonomy and shared authority.

Meantime, as humanity tries to tackle population explosion, pollution, surging sea levels, wildlife extinction, and the myriads of environmental issues, a glowing light has been placed on our path -- The Earth Charter (EC). The EC is a cosmic covenant that awakens humans to their innate connection with all living beings. It reminds us of our primordial bond, our interdependence with, and our impact upon the web of life.

The EC inspires us to honour the vital role of every living organism, including humans, non-humans, and all microorganisms that make up the strands in the web of life. It instills in us gratitude for the gift and beauty of life, reverence for the mystery of being, and fosters peaceful coexistence with the larger whole of which all are a part.

Earth Charter Wordle

The EC was created after extensive consultations with diverse cultures across the globe, and on November 24, 2004 endorsed by the World Conservation Congress that represents over 100 countries. The EC is now recognized as "an ethical guide for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) policy."

One of the key guiding principles of EC is, "We must realize that when basic needs have been met, human development is primarily about being more, not having more."

But in our hectic pace of life it's difficult to even comprehend that the act of simply "being" is necessary to de-stress and enjoy the simple pleasures of life.

Photo credit: Sangita Iyer
I love my walks in the woods, hold snails in my palm and feel their tickle

Photo credit: Sangita Iyer

This Grasshopper is comfortably sitting on my finger, making direct eye contact with me

So the conundrum of our times is to remind humans of their intrinsic bond with the natural world. I believe this can be done by creating an intimate sense of belonging, honoring various cultures, inviting versatile ideas, and implementing solutions that are best suited for the planet as a whole -- not nations or cultures or religions.

"The choice is ours: form a global partnership to care for Earth and one another or risk the destruction of ourselves and the diversity of life... We have the knowledge and technology to provide for all and to reduce our impacts on the environment. The emergence of a global civil society is creating new opportunities to build a democratic and humane world. Our environmental, economic, political, social and spiritual challenges are interconnected and together we can forge inclusive solutions." - The Earth Charter

We can uphold the EC that fosters interdependent principles for a sustainable way of life as a common standard by which the behaviors of people, businesses, governments and transnational organizations can be assessed. We can create ONE HUMAN CULTURE that integrates diversity in unifying people, so we can restore our ONE AND ONLY HOME -- our planet Earth.

"As never before in history, common destiny beckons us to seek a new beginning... This requires a change of mind and heart, and new sense of global interdependence and universal responsibility." - The Earth Charter

In this video from March 2015, a consulting veterinarian hired by the zoo confirms that Lucy has arthritic and foot problems. Dr. Jim Oosterhuls says, he also has serious concerns about her airway passage in the trunk that is narrowing and causing respiratory ailments.

"She has to end up breathing through her mouth to maintain her oxygen levels. This is absolutely abnormal for an elephant. An elephant should only breathe through its trunk. And in this case she has a lot of wheezing when she breathes through her trunk."

But he's quick to point out that Lucy cannot be moved from the zoo, dismissing calls to transfer her to a warm place. He says, it would be too stressful and worsen her breathing problems.

Lucy was kidnapped from the tropical Sri Lankan jungles and brought to Edmonton. Even after 40 years, she doesn't seem to have adapted to Canada's cold weather. Is it even remotely possible that the bone chilling temparatures could be exacerbating Lucy's health problems? Dr. Philip Ensley, a renowned veterinarian, has been assessing Lucy's health as of 1994, and concludes:

"The frigid cold regional weather will continue to impact Lucy's husbandry program, regardless of what changes or modifications are made to her enclosures."

An affidavit from world renowned elephant scientist Dr. Joyce Pool submitted to the City of Edmonton elaborates on the behaviorus of wild elephants.

"Free living Asian and African elephants are on the move 20 out of every 24 hours actively engaged in foraging, exploring, socializing and searching for conspecifics."

But sadly, there isn't adequate space at Edmonton zoo for Lucy to roam freely. She's in solitary confinement most of the time, made to stand on hard concrete floor inside the enclosure. She displays her distress and boredom through odd behaviours such as psychotic swaying and reclusiveness. Frigid weather, solitary confinement, little exercise and no social life -- it's a far cry from the vast hot expanses of elephants' natural environments. Everything is unnatural for Lucy, and she's lonely and depressed in this strange land.

Over the years activists have documented numerous violations. As required by the Alberta provincial zoo standards, Lucy's social needs aren't being met. The zoo authorities are also endangering people's lives by allowing close interactions with the 8,000 pound gigantic animal.

Section III B. 1, states, "All animals must be maintained in numbers sufficient to meet their social and behavioral needs (unless a single specimen is biologically correct for that animal)." "And Section II. H. of the Alberta Zoo Standards sets safety measures including "Animals in areas where direct contact with visitors is possible must pose no danger to the public".

This kind of close interactions with the public in unprotected proximity is dangerous.Photo Credit: Sam Whincup

Edmonton residents, animal-welfare groups and people across Canada have protested and demanded to move Lucy to a warmer place. The popular television host, Bob Barker, even offered to foot the bill for Lucy's transfer to the PAWS sanctuary in California. But the City of Edmonton has rejected such offers, denied the facts provided by zoo's own consulting veterinarians, and ignored blatant violations. Not surprisingly, one of the animal welfare organizations in California has inducted the Edmonton Valley Zoo in the "Hall of Shame".

Given Lucy's respiratory, arthritic, foot problems and emotional distress, it's unfair to expose Lucy to the long frigid winters, and deprive social interactions with her own kind. It's unconscionable to exploit an ailing elephant for profit under the guise of education at the Edmonton Valley Zoo.

Lucy needs to be released into a sanctuary where she can wander freely at least in her fading days. It's time for Alberta's Environment Minister, the Hon. Shannon Phillips to step up to the plate and do what's best, not only for Lucy, but also for the people of Edmonton before a tragedy occurs.

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]]>A Story Of Horror Behind Glamorous Cultural Festivalstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2016:/theblog//3.96027302016-04-05T13:40:00-04:002016-04-05T13:59:02-04:00Sangita Iyerhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sangita-iyer/
Four elephants and six people have died in almost 220 incidents of stampedes over the past three months this year. The most recent casualty was a 55-year-old bull elephant, Keshavankutty owned by the infamous Guruvayur temple, a popular rental that fetched a significant amount of money for parading in cultural festivals. He was loaded on a truck and driven to another temple, 120 kilometers away from his jail cell at Punnathoor Kotta, the so called "Captive Elephant Sanctuary." The bull was forced to parade on the 24th 25th and 26th of March. But unable to cope with his deteriorating health he collapsed a couple of days later, dying a miserable death on the temple grounds.

To be sure, it wasn't a sudden death. The Heritage Animal Task Force (HATF) Secretary Mr. Venkitachalm decries, the bull was allegedly suffering from pulmonary disease and severe indigestion. Indeed the elephant was struggling to stand all along, but his symptoms were ignored by the festival organizers. Mr. Venkitachalam says the poor animal was so hungry that he began to eat sand from the ground, which could have exacerbated his digestive condition, causing his sudden death.

Another tragedy on March 28th involved an elephant named Vedakkumnathan Ganapathy, aka Lucky Prasad. Sick and tired of torture and abuse, he unleashed his wrath after he was brought to a temple in Palakkad district. He killed his mahout and ran amok, leaving a trail of devastation along the way, uprooting trees, and destroying vehicles and properties. In fact he became so furious that he picked up a car from the temple premises and rolled it 80 meters away.

This being his first "murder", he was soon labelled "killer elephant," but nobody seem to recognize his pain and suffering that pushed him to act this way in the first place. They used illegal weapons to capture and torture the defenseless animal, as thousands of people watched the "spectacular chase" while the poor animal was in agony. He was then transported to Trissur city, where preparations are underway for the Trissur Pooram festival.

The elephant was captured and tortured, as the crowd looks on; Photo: HATF

Mr. Venkitachalam claims the elephant's owner has no valid certificate as required by the Declaration of Wild Life Stock Rule, 2003, and Vedakkumnathan Ganapathy is kept illegally by a bankrupt realtor who doesn't have the resources to care for the elephant. He will also be paraded unlawfully at the world renowned festival in Trissur that begins early morning April 16th and continues non-stop for 36 hours.

Defenseless Vedakkumnathan Ganapathy after his capture; Photo: HATF

Here's some perspective on the nexus of illegal trade covering up criminal trails. This elephant has changed three owners. His original name was Lucky Prasad, first kept by a Christian family in Kottayam district that sold him to a Trissur resident. The elephant's name was conveniently changed to Pananchery Neelakandan as the paperwork was missing. Two years back he was illegally sold for the third time to the real estate businessman who gave his current name, Vedakkunathan Ganapathy.

The sad reality is, each time these elephants change owners they have to undergo a process called "crushing of spirit". It entails groups of drunken men beating the living daylights out of these defenseless docile animals that are chained to ensure that they become familiar with the commands of their new mahouts. We've gathered undercover footage of the atrocious treatment of bull elephants featured in our multiple award winning and United Nations nominated film Gods in Shackles.

Venkitachalam says, "Lucky Prasad is a living example of an elephant which is being tortured by ever changing owners and mahouts. The state govt. of Kerala is favoring the parading of elephant having no ownership certificates in violation of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972."

Meantime, the Kerala forest department has registered criminal charges against Bharathan Menon, for parading his elephant Vedakkumnathan Ganapathy illegally and defying the August 2015 Supreme Court order that prohibits use of elephants without valid ownership certificate. He faces two more criminal charges, for property loss of more than one crore Rupees ($166,500 Plus USD), and another, for issuing fraudulent checks.

According to Venkitachalam, Bharathan Menon has a history of violations. In 2013 the Kerala Forest Department seized an elephant named Hariprasad from his custody, after he was convicted by the Kerala High Court for transferring the elephant illegally from Assam to Kerala. And sadly, this story rings true for many elephants in Kerala.

The issues surrounding the elephants of Kerala are spiraling out of control. It seems the state authorities are standing helplessly on the sidelines watching these tragedies unfold. Meanwhile, much of the world is unaware of the harsh realities that are cleverly masked by the glitz and glamour. Tourists will soon converge for the world renowned Trissur Pooram festival oblivious to the suffering of the elephants, as the vicious cycle of torture and abuse continue behind the curtain of cultural festivals.

Gods in Shackles lifts off the cultural veil and exposes the truth. Please continue to donate to help us bring into the world Gods in Shackles by Clicking HERE and end elephant slavery.

Over the years thousands of phone calls, letters, emails, tweets, and complaints, have been sent to the USDA, and even 32 U.S. Members of Congress called for Nosey's re-examination. Recently, the California Environmental Institute (CEI), Save Nosey NOW (SNN), and Action for Nosey Now (AFNN) teamed up to strengthen their efforts to free Nosey. They claim that the USDA isn't living up to its legal obligation to protect her under the AWA. In an email interview with me, Richard Isley, the International Director at the CEI stated,

"I find it incredibly offensive that Tom Vilsack believes he is above the law, and he can continue to ignore the overwhelming evidence of Nosey's debilitating condition without someday paying for his arrogance and outright disdain for the animals he has sworn to protect."

Nosey at a Fair in March 2016 lifting Hugo Liebel with her tusks with a burdened back, Photo: Richard Isley (CEI)

Dr. Philip Ensley, a well-known veterinarian echoes Isley's sentiments. He worked for 40 years in zoological medicine, and has been reviewing and consulting on cases of alleged elephant abuse and mismanagement. He became involved in 2014 through PETA, and has written numerous letters to the USDA about Nosey's miserable life, but his pleas have been ignored. In an exclusive interview with me, Dr. Ensley bluntly stated,

"There appears to be negligence and incompetence at every level, in particular within the inspection process and in the inability to recognize the inadequate veterinary care being provided to Nosey... Nosey is unnecessarily suffering, permanently disabled, crippled, and knowingly being maimed and this should not be permitted or allowed to continue when there is a reasonable remedy available."

Nosey's bleak prognosis, Photo: Richard Isley, (CEI)

But unfortunately, nothing has changed Vislack's stance. Last year CEI, AFNN, and SNN created Nosey's storybook, and sent it to President Obama but have received no response. CEI's Isley says,

"He appointed Vilsack to this post at the USDA, and he can fire him as well. And he should...In my opinion, the only other people who can influence Vilsack are the Clinton's, who are still the most politically powerful family in the United States. And now we've contacted them."

"I realize this is a long shot but someone has to know Thomas Vilsack, the Secretary of Agriculture who can instruct Mr. Kevin Shea Administrator of USDA/APHIS to revoke the license and confiscate Nosey."

As it turns out, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC), license renewal is coming up in early April and activists are closely watching. Karen Ess, Founder of AFNN says,

"We are hoping that our pleas for non-renewal will be heeded. If in the unfortunate case, that her permit is renewed, Friends of Nosey are stronger and more resolute than ever to advocate and prevail in her rescue."

Barbara Trask-Lovett who manages the SNN Facebook group has serious concerns,

"My heart aches for Nosey every time I hear that the FFWCC and the USDA have renewed the licenses for Hugo Liebel to continue displaying Nosey in any way he chooses. Nosey wasn't born for this kind of life, and the very people who are charged with protecting her never do. They continue to cite Liebel for the same things over and over. When does it end? When is it Nosey's turn to live her life? When can she go to sanctuary and be with others of her own kind?"

The harsh reality is, Nosey won't be going to a sanctuary any time soon. Dr. Ensley has revealed that during his December 2014 meeting with FFWCC officials in Tallahassee, it was announced that if the USDA/APHIS renewed Liebel's license, the FFWCC will follow suit. This means the 2016 FFWCC license renewal is a done deal, as the USDA granted in January. Dr. Ensley decries,

"In forty-six years as a veterinarian I have never seen such obvious failures to investigate cases of abuse reported to the highest authority. The Secretary of Agriculture has demonstrated a failure to enforce the AWA. The perception of covering up an obligation to properly investigate cases of reported abuse or suspected abuse remains boldly conspicuous. Secretary Vilsack has made an African elephant named Nosey a "poster child" for abuse."

Nosey's Sad Trunk Curl at an Exhibition, Photo: Richard Isley, (CEI)

Meanwhile, as Nosey's fate hangs in the balance, Isley is calling on activists to stop personal attacks on Libel's family in the face of swelling public opposition. He says they are real people, who've lived their lives getting dressed up and performing, and as the crowds are getting smaller, and protests larger, they are realizing that their circus will soon be over.

"They are wrong in the way they have treated Nosey, and Nosey deserves her freedom, but sometimes people don't know what they're doing is abusive. Those children have grown up being taught some wrong lessons, to be sure, but they don't deserve the outright hatred and horrible names they've had to experience. There is no happy ending for the Liebel family."

Recently, a 20-year-old elephant named Choppi Kuttysankaran killed his first mahout. This elephant was in his annual musth cycle (when bull elephants are in heat). But still, a government vet allegedly issued a fake fitness certificate. Choppi Kuttysankaran was starved and deprived of water. So he became frustrated, and ran amok for three hours crossing railway tracks, cutting through congested traffic, and causing panic.

The temple authorities violated Supreme Court orders that spell out, elephants can be only paraded from 8 AM to 11 AM and 4 PM to 8 PM. Of all the places, you'd expect religious institutions to follow the laws of the land. But sadly, more than 22 temples unlawfully paraded several elephants in the wee hours for three consecutive days.

Choppi Kuttisankaran ran amok in the wee hoursPhoto Credit: HATF

It's no secret that these "religious institutions" exploit wounded elephants. But how cruel is it to parade a sentient being with glass pierced into his feet? Even this disabled elephant was granted a fitness certificate and forced to limp. Another wounded and blind old bull, Tripayaar Ramachandran, was paraded despite his disabilities. The state government orders that prohibit such abuse are violated with impunity.

Tripayaar Ramachandran has a pus-infested footPhoto Credit: HATF

During festival season elephants are transported in trucks, forced to stand bare feet on the steaming hot metal platform. People there don't seem to realize that it's necessary to provide some degree of comfort for these hard-working elephants that fetch them so much money. They illegally paraded a 78-year-old celebrity elephant Guruvayur Padhmanabhan, rented out for a whopping 2,000,000 Rupees (over $33,000 USD) per day - all under the guise of culture and religion.

Celebrity elephant Guruvayur PadhmanabhanPhoto Credit: HATF

In their quest for material wealth people seem to have become blinded by greed, and are oblivious to the unfathomable pain and suffering of the embodiment of Lord Ganesh. Is it surprising that these elephants unleash their wrath and run amok, killing people and destroying properties? One elephant became so sick and tired of the torture that he caused property damage of five million Rupees (approximately US$83,000), and destroyed 27 vehicles during a six hour rampage. This elephant named Olarikkara Kalidasan has allegedly killed five people in the past. He was tortured for his "misbehavior" in a secret location.

This tiny state on the southern tip of India houses the largest number of captive elephants in the nation - 601 of them, private citizens illegally owning 289 elephants. Recently the state government legitimized their illegal activities by issuing ownership certificates, turning a blind eye to the plight of the suffering elephants, and flouting the same laws that they created.

Albert Einstein said, "Insanity is doing the same things over and over again, expecting a different outcome," which pretty much sums up Kerala's situation.

Take a look at the innocent five month old calf below. He was ripped apart from his family from the Mannarapara forest area and brought into the Konni camp so people can be amused. Mr. Venkitachalam says,

"Whenever a new elephant calf is admitted, a minimum of 2000 tourists a day visit the Konni Elephant Camp to watch the spectacle. The main reason they're keeping these elephant calves is to spin money from tourists who visit the camp. Ninety per cent of these elephant calves die due to faulty method of keeping them inside enclosures."

This five month old calf was allegedly kidnapped from the wildPhoto Credit: HATF

The HATF Secretary claims, every year they capture baby elephants for the government camps, bringing the total number of calves in Konni camp to four.

People flocking to see the baby elephantPhoto Credit: HATF

Yes, the state of affairs in Kerala looks grim and there seems to be no end in sight. But I think there are reasons to be optimistic. This year at least four temples decided to replace elephants with human dragged chariots for festivals, some temples have begun using faux elephants, and even the Kochi airport in Kerala has installed elephant statues.

Garuda Vahana at Parthasarathi Temple in KeralaPhoto Credit: HATF

In the past decade, awareness campaigns have been sprouting across India, and people are beginning to take animal cruelty more seriously now than ever before. The Kerala media is writing more stories, although the status-quo controls the content to a certain degree. Ongoing court battles are resulting in landmark Supreme Court rulings in favor of elephants. Collective voices and fearless whistle blowers are risking their lives, speaking out against the atrocities on social media.

In the grand scheme of things though, a vast majority of the 7.3 billion humans are disconnected from the cyber space, and largely disengaged from crimes against nature and wildlife. Even well-meaning people are mired by their day-to-day existence, and they need to be educated.

The "Gods in Shackles" documentary will awaken them to understanding the long term ramifications of their ignorance. Please CLICK HERE TO DONATE to our outreach campaign, and help us bring this epic documentary into the world so we can expose and end the sad plight of Kerala's elephants.

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]]>February Has Been Brutal For Elephants And Deadly For People In Keralatag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2016:/theblog//3.92876042016-02-22T16:20:37-05:002016-02-22T16:59:01-05:00Sangita Iyerhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sangita-iyer/
According to the Heritage Animal Task Force (HATF) Secretary Mr. Venkitachalam, 27 elephants were forced to walk to a racing ground between 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. on melting tar roads beneath the blistering sun and 40 degree Celsius heat, denied of food and water.

Then between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. they were forced to participate in a running race, their legs heavily shackled. The first mahout sitting atop each elephant continued to prod the animals with the banned bull hook and poke his toes in the most sensitive part behind the elephants' ears, while the second mahout on the ground hit the animal with a 10-metre-long pole to inflict maximum torture and make the elephants run faster.

Photo Credit: HATF

Photo Credit: HATF

Hundreds of spectators witnessing the race unaware of suffering of elephants

And why do they organize this annual elephant running race? Just so people can have fun, as the elephants endure the torturous competition and are pushed to win!! Most people in Kerala don't seems to realize that forcing shackled elephants to run is one of the worst kinds of cruelty. And few people seem to have even a basic understanding that the soft-cushioned feet of elephants are made for lush jungles and marshes, not hard concrete or hot tarmac or granite floors.

Photo Credit: HATF

Winner, Gopi Kannan was forced to salute before Lord Krishna in Guruvayur Temple

The winner, Gopi Kannan, will now have the "honour" of carrying Lord Krishna's idol during the festivities that begin today. He'll be kept inside the temple and paraded on the hard granite floor. This winner was subjected to brutality during the race, and will endure more torture after the race for 10 additional days. Two years back Ramankutty of Guruvayur Temple, the adjudged winner of elephant race, collapsed and was unable to function for five days.

The world-renowned Guruvayur Temple has also rented out its elephants, going against the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 that lists India's heritage animal in the schedule 1 category, which cannot be exploited for profit.

But this temple possesses 53 elephants, most of which are rented out for huge sums of money. I've been informed that one of the most popular rentals, an elephant named Padhmanabhan, will fetch more than 220,000 Indian Rupees (over US$3,600) per day, as of March 10.

Photo Credit: HATF

Guruvayur Padhmanabhan

Clearly, the laws of the land are being openly flouted. HATF secretary V.K. Venkitchalam decries that the Guruvayur Temple authorities are getting off the hook with impunity. "This type of blatant violation of law is the brain work of the Guruvayoor Devaswom administration which is headed by politically appointed Chairman," he says. "The administrator of the Guruvayoor Devaswom is none other than the Additional District Magistrate. The District Collector of Thrissur is the former administrator of Guruvayoor Devaswom... The manual of Guruvayoor Devaswom does not contain anything which empowers its managing committee to earn money by using Elephants kept by the Devaswom."

Another temple near Trissur district paraded Kerala's tallest elephant, despite his physical disability. Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran is blind in his right eye, and has a track record of killing close to 20 people and three elephants.

Photo Credit: Tony Azios, Gods in Shackles Cinematographer

Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran is blind in his right eye

Three Kerala veterinarians had conducted a thorough medical examination in 2010, and declared that Thechikkottukavu Ramachandran is disabled. But regardless, the temple forced this majestic animal to parade until around 4:00pm when he began to display aggression. He is one of the many elephants featured in Gods in Shackles, a documentary that exposes the despicable treatment of Kerala's captive elephants. You can learn more about the film by clicking HERE

It was only recently that Kerala's Chief Wildlife Warden issued an order, prohibiting the use of disabled elephants in temples and festivals (enclosed at the bottom of this article). Additionally, elephants with a history of killing people must be kept away from the public. But here again, the laws of the land were being flouted in the broad day light with absolute latitude.

It's no surprise that elephants are revolting. An elephant named Vayalassery Arjunan was pushed so far that he killed his mahout. HATF Secretary claims, Arjunan was one of the 10 elephants paraded without proper permits. Worse yet, this elephant also displayed symptoms of musth, an annual period when bull elephants come into heat and become dominant. In the wild they mate and fight with other bulls, but in captivity they have no way of releasing their energy reserves. So they become aggressive, which often results in tragic loss of lives.

Photo credit: HATF

All four legs shackled to palm trees, Arjunan is deprived of his basic needs

Since this tragic event Arjunan has been shackled to a palm tree, with no roof to shade him from the blistering sun. He is unable to move and deprived of food and water -- a punishment he will suffer for 15 days. These tolerant animals revolt only when they are pushed to the extremes. But sadly when they do so, the torture is intensified and they are subjected to such severe corporal punishment.

Yet another elephant called Chamapuzha Unnikrishnan rampaged for six hours, toppling motorcycles and trees with his mahout atop his back. Veterinarians had to tranquilize this bull elephant. He was allegedly transferred illegally from another district.

"This shows the unlawful manner in which elephant contractors and festival organizes flout elephant parade rules with tacit support of forest officials. The district Collector of Ernakulam remains a mute spectator. The district collector is the chairman of the district's elephant monitoring committee."

Photo Credit: HATF

Chamapuzha Unnikrishnan rampaged for six hours

The harsh reality is, violations are ultimately costing the lives of poor people. As of Jan. 17, 2016 four people have died, including a woman. Their families are suffering, elephants are suffering and it's becoming clearer now than ever before that use of elephants is a no win situation. It's time to prevent unnecessary loss of people's lives, by releasing these elephants into a sanctuary where they can roam freely. Gods in Shackles features the story of captive elephants that are now thriving in a sanctuary. You can learn more about our movie HERE

]]>Elephant Abuse In Kerala Has Finally Gone Criminaltag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2016:/theblog//3.91845222016-02-08T17:20:28-05:002016-02-08T17:59:01-05:00Sangita Iyerhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sangita-iyer/
When they enter into their musth their testosterone and energy level surge. They're overwhelmed by the urge to mate. The cycle lasts for 3-4 months. The shackles are tightened severely to restrain them, as the elephants tend to become dominant during this time. In the wild the bulls wander for hours on end, finding mates and fighting with bulls. Whereas in captivity they become frustrated and aggressive as they're unable to release their energies. So these elephants are deprived of food and water, in order to make them weak and submissive.

But after they emerge from their musth these innocent animals must still undergo the cruelest of rituals that defy all holy books. It's a secret tradition that involves seven or eight drunk men beating the living day lights out of this animal for 48-72 hours. It's called Katti Adikkal, part of unchaining the bulls that emerge from their musth. The practice is based on a superstitious belief that the elephants may have forgotten their commands during their musth. It's a horrifying ritual designed to break the elephant's spirit and remind them that their masters are in control. All bull elephants in Kerala have to undergo this cruel practice every single year. In an email report, the Heritage Animal Task Force (HATF) Secretary Mr. Venkitachalam said,

"This elephant was subjected to high degree of beating by mahouts as part of breaking it from musth chaining for past three days. As a result of such cruel practice some of the internal parts got severe injuries and the elephant died instantly. The owner and mahouts applied mud and coal powder all over its four legs to hide the severe wounds. Then the body of the elephant was transferred from Trissur to Ernakulam district to cremate without a mandatory inquest into its death."

Mr. Venkitachalam alleges, the Government veterinarian Dr. Giridas has misinformed the press that Chitillapilly Rajashekaran's death was caused by heart attack and digestive issues. This is the first case of death of an elephant below the age of 21 in past six years, and the first elephant death in 2016. The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has now called on an inquest into the death of this elephant, and directed the government to conduct a postmortem. The AWBI Assistant Secretary, Mr. Vinod Kumar has directed the Chief Wildlife Warden of Kerala to appoint a an expert committee,

"There was a complaint that this elephant was tortured by mahouts ... in this connection I am directed to request you to to kindly appoint an expert committee including two pathologists from Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University."

You can find the letter from AWBI at the bottom of this article.

Photo credit: Venkitachalam

Chitillapilly Rajashekaran is the first elephant to die in 2016

Kerala has been blacklisted as one of the two states in India, notorious for elephant cruelty and poor welfare. Most recently an elephant named Unni Krishnan owned by Thiruvambadi Temple was heard screaming, as he was forced to parade with his crippled right leg, limping on hot granite floor to perform a ritual. Worse yet, all four feet were severely infected with pus coated wounds. The HATF secretary claims,

"One wound opened up and pus and blood flowed inside the temple."

We filmed the infection on Unni Krishnan's right foreleg in June 2015 for GODS IN SHACKLES, but since then I've been informed that the elephant has been eaten up by the infection, he has also contracted foot disease in his left foreleg.

Photo Credit: Sangita Iyer

Still shot Gods in Shackles film, Unni Krishnan's foot infection has since worsened

Elephants balance their massive bodies on four legs and they need to be healthy. But most elephants in Kerala that we have filmed for GODS IN SHACKLES film have chronic and serious foot diseases. Additionally, in the wild, they are always on the move. This is necessary to shift their weight evenly on all four legs. Whereas in captivity they are shackled 24 - 7 with short chains, making it difficult, if not impossible to even move their bodies.

Photo credit: Sangita Iyer

Thiruvambadi Unni Krishnan also had an infection on his face in June 2015

Thiruvambadi Devaswom, one of the most prestigious temples in Kerala, owns four more elephants including Lakshmi who was tortured to blindness. Her condition is worsening according to Venkitachalam,

"The body of this female elephant has been swollen for the past three months."

The temple authorities suspect that she's pregnant, whereas others say she suffers from serious digestive problems caused by the cheap diet, and has become obese. All of these elephants have been featured in our upcoming documentary, you can click HERE to learn more.

Photo credit: Sangita Iyer

Lakshmi was tortured to blindness in June 2015

Another elephant belonging to the same Temple named Shiva Sundaram was reportedly paraded under the scorching sun at 40°C on fuming tar roads, and forced to cross the hot metal railway lines in the middle of the day. Fortunately he reached the destination before he collapsed. Many elephants have died in railway crossings in India. The HATF Secretary decries,

"This elephant was forced to participate in festivals continuously for the past three days without providing water or fodder. It was transferred from one festival to another during day and night, without providing any rest for the elephant."

Photo credit: Heritage Animal Task Force

Meantime the condition of another elephant named Thiruvambadi Ramabadhran has been deteriorating rapidly. As reported previously, his paralyzed trunk makes it difficult to eat and drink, and the pus coated wounds all over his body and legs has made it impossible to move. He has been isolated from the other elephants to avoid potential spread of infection.

"All these four elephants are the examples of daily torture by the temple as the temple does not have any place to keep them on its own facilities to allow daily bath for them in flowing water. These elephants are not maintained properly nor are they given adequate veterinary care."

"These extensive wounds clearly indicate neglected healthcare management in the past. Based on this report an offense was registered in this division as OR - 02/2016 against the Sec. of the Thiruvambadi Devaswom. Preliminary report was submitted before honorable judicial first class magistrate Court three Trissur."

As reported previously the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, a highly reputable animal welfare organization has launched a Supreme Court case against the states that use elephants for profit and entertainment. But despite the ongoing hearings, they continue to defy the Supreme Court orders and Kerala's Captive Elephant Management Rules, openly flouting the laws of the land with impunity. A court hearing is expected on February 19, 2016 and there's enough evidence of torture and neglect piling up against the elephant owners and temple authorities. Using undercover camera Gods in Shackles documentary exposes the barbaric practices, and layers of corruption that perpetrate torture of elephants. You can support our outreach campaign by clicking HERE

It's paradoxical that people in Kerala mourn and light candles after elephants die; it seems like a superficial display of compassion. If they genuinely loved elephants they would revere and respect the elephants when they are alive, and stop exploiting them in festivals and temples under the guise of culture and religion. Chitillapilly Rajashekaran was beaten, brutalized and tortured when he was alive. I hope they realize that paying homage in his death won't bring him back or undo the atrocities. It's a senseless act, a cover up to deal with their guilt.

Here's the AWBI call for an inquest into the death of Chitillapilly Rajashekaran

]]>Nosey The Circus Elephant Back In The Lime Lighttag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2016:/theblog//3.91361682016-02-02T17:59:03-05:002016-02-03T08:59:01-05:00Sangita Iyerhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sangita-iyer/200 animal welfare violations, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has recently renewed Hugo Liebel's license, so the ailing animal can be exploited for human entertainment, decries People for Ethical Treatment of Animals PETA. In an email interview with me, PETA's spokesperson Katie Arth said:

"This comes as no surprise, given the USDA's absurd practice of rubber-stamping license renewals, even when it knows that the applicant has not demonstrated compliance with the law. This practice violates the Animal Welfare Act and has caused innumerable animals to suffer, for years on end, at the hands of neglectful exhibitors who leave animals to languish in filthy cages, without wholesome food, clean water, or proper veterinary care."

One of those suffering animals is Nosey. Dr. Philip Ensley, a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience submitted a scathing report to the USDA, in which he outlined that Nosey suffers from chronic diarrhea, arthritis, foot abnormalities and a serious skin condition that has persisted for over 22 years.

Regarding Nosey's mental state, he observed that she walked around "expressionless and dazed stupor" in a tiny barricaded area, consistently displaying an indifferent and dispirited attitude.

"This is the worst, most prolonged, documented example of an uncorrected case of suffering and abuse in an elephant I have ever reviewed."

Nosey, performing at a circus in New Jersey

Photo: Courtesy, Barbara Lovett

In this cell phone video provided by Barbara Lovett, an advocate at Save Nosey Now campaign, a distressed Nosey sways back and forth inside her barricade, a psychotic behaviour typical of all captive elephants caused by boredom and lack of exercise.

Lovett says that Nosey appeared drugged so she would obey their commands easily, however she's concerned that the elephant could collapse if her feet buckled in due to arthritis and joint issues, posing a grave threat to public safety.

"Nosey appears to wobble and limp when people are on her back. She is a danger to the public should she fall or falter in her gait. There is also always concern that captive elephants may have TB which is spreadable from elephant to human. People could be trampled and or killed if Nosey decides she's had enough of the stress and boredom and abuse of circus life. "

Meantime, realizing the seriousness of Nosey's condition, 32 members of the US Congress signed and sent a letter to Thomas Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture, highlighting Liebel's "serious, willful, and chronic violations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA)", asking the USDA to consider confiscating Nosey.

"As Members of Congress, we must continue to advocate for the humane treatment of animals and protect all animals, large or small, domestic or wild, from mistreatment. Most importantly, we have a responsibility to treat all animals with kindness and respect. Therefore, we urge you to act swiftly to address this issue and look forward to collaborating with your office."

However, neither the negative medical reports, nor petitions from animal activists, and not even the letter from congress members seem to have cast a dent in USDA's decision. Last year PETA sued the USDA for the third time, seeking to void licenses that were issued illegally to chronic violators.

"The USDA's own inspector general admitted that in five separate audits, the fines for animal welfare violations were so small that exhibitors considered them a cost of doing business, paid the fines, then went back to violating the law."

I emailed USDA's Bernadette Juarez asking, despite numerous violations and Nosey's deteriorating health why the USDA hasn't yet confiscated Nosey. Among other questions I also asked if the USDA was waiting for a tragedy to unfold before Liebel's license is suspended. However, I had not received USDA's response by the time I filed this report.

Nosey is one of the 63 baby elephants imported to the US from Zimbabwe after its government organized a mass culling of elephants. Hugo Liebel, a circus clown, bought Nosey in 1988, and since then she's been doomed to slavery, transported all across America to perform and give joyrides despite her deteriorating health.

Animal Advocates Protesting in Washington, DC

Photo: Courtesy, Barbara Lovett

The good news is collective voices of animal advocates and celebrities are creating waves across the nation, prompting many fairs to cancel Nosey's appearances, some even pledging never to host Nosey again. PETA's Arth says,

"Until Nosey is retired from the circus, PETA will continue to protest and document her suffering. We have been working with members of Congress to put pressure on the USDA to do its job and have also enlisted celebrities such as Olivia Munn to speak out for Nosey."

In January 2016, Save Nosey NOW campaign members organized a summit, with six animal welfare groups in attendance, including PETA, Animal Legal Defense Fund, Compassion Works International, and Action for Nosey Now. One of the main focuses was to find a way to reintroduce The Traveling Exotic Animal Protection Act (TEAPA), which would prohibit use of wild animals in circuses across the USA.

This would have a positive impact on all traveling circus animals and potentially the best possible outcome for Nosey. The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee is ready to take her in and introduce her to their elephants so she can socialize and wander freely for the rest of her life.

Correction: A previous version of this blog mistakenly referred to the activist group Save Nosey Now as Free Nosey Now.

To make matters worse, he has contracted infectious foot and skin diseases, and has been placed in solitary confinement. He is shackled day and night, forced to stand on his own urine and excrement, his foot rot worsening by the day and pus continuing to ooze from his body wounds.

According to one of my sources in Trissur, Ramabadhran has 11 wounds around his legs and 15 deep wounds all over his body, one of them spilling "buckets of pus." Surely, this intelligent animal must also be psychologically distressed by the physical and emotional pain.

A massive tumor on Ramabadhran's left hip is oozing out puss

Photo Credit: Mr. Venkitachalam

Ramabadhran belongs to Thiruvambady Devaswom, a renowned temple in Trissur, Kerala. This temple owns five more elephants including a female called Lakshmi. She used to perform regular rituals. However, for almost a month now, she has been "on leave" according to one source.

As it turns out, Lakshmi is being forced to stand in one spot, shackled to a concrete pole day and night. She's not even allowed to lie on the ground.

Why? Because the temple officials "suspect" she's pregnant. And they don't want to take any chances. So they're depriving Lakshmi of her basic routine that allowed her at least some exercise, as she walked to the temple and around the shrine during her morning and evening rituals. In an email exchange with me, Mr. Venkitachalam, Heritage Animal Task Force (HATF) secretary said he's livid, adding,

"The most disturbing matter is that the mahout and the managers of Elephant Lakshmi are not allowing it to bend its knees or lie on the ground. i.e., this Elephant is forced to stand always on its four legs."

This is Lakshmi in November 2015, getting ready for temple rituals

Photo Credit: Still shot from Gods in Shackles documentary

Even for an elephant that's not pregnant, standing in one spot is torturous. Walking is absolutely essential, so they can shift their massive bodies and balance the weight. If in fact Lakshmi is pregnant, she must be going through hell, as the extra weight of the baby must be burdensome on her legs, causing excruciating pain.

After receiving complaints from animal activists, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) directed top veterinarians of Kerala to conduct a spot check last week on all elephants owned by the Thiruvambadi temple. The report is expected to be released sometime this month.

According to one of my sources none of the veterinarians could confirm Lakshmi's pregnancy. He said, the only thing fueling speculations is a video filmed by a business man eight months ago that depicts one of his male elephants mounting Lakshmi several times during his annual musth cycle (when bull elephants are in heat). It is in this man's mansion that Lakshmi remains shackled day and night.

The core issue is, most of the elephants in Kerala are bulls. And Mr. Venkitachalam is mainly concerned that the state veterinarians have little knowledge and expertise in diagnosing pregnancies. Therefore, he has written an open letter to the State and Forest Ministers of Kerala, asking them to have experts from other states to intervene,

"We expect that your authoritative office will constitute a high level expert committee of veterinarians from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka who are well versed in diagnosing the pregnancy of captive Elephants of Forest Department of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka states."

Back in November 2015 when I visited Lakshmi, her previous mahout, who was fired from the temple for torturing her to blindness, told me that she was pregnant. He also said that three years back when they tried to mate her with the same bull elephant she ran away. So this time around, they chained her next to him, literally forcing her to mate.

Lakshmi was tortured to blindness because she was hungry and "stole" her mahout's food

Photo credit: Still shot from Gods in Shackles documentary

In the wild, female elephants determine which bull to mate with, based on its strength and dexterity. But in captivity, poor defenseless Lakshmi was forced to mate with a bull she had rejected a few years back. I'm lost for words trying to describe this kind of atrocity against a defenseless female elephant. It's no different than a woman being raped.

A day in the life of Lakshmi featured in Gods in Shackles documentary slated to be released in the spring, reveals her daily routine starting from 4:00 a.m. when she's readied to perform in morning rituals at the temple, followed by her afternoon and evening routines, her day ending at approximately 8:00 p.m. It's a 16 hour work day, seven days a week, with little rest in between.

The loving and gentle animal that Lakshmi is, she draws huge crowds. Even her mahouts receive special gifts because of their association with this gorgeous animal. And now, they are trying to exploit her to breed, despite the fact that Lakshmi doesn't have the experience to care for a baby.

"From an early age young females babysit the calves. This is known as allo-mothering. As a result they have a lot of experience and knowledge of calves before becoming mothers themselves, which stands them in good stead. When they do give birth, they also have another female with them who acts as a midwife."

According to a PBS online article featuring Anamalai, a popular elephant habitat in India,

"The other female elephants in a herd -- the calf's aunts -- aid its mother, providing protection and caring for the calf."

But Lakshmi has never been with a herd, she has spent her entire life in captivity. If she births a baby, she could turn around and kill it. But then of course humans would most likely take away the baby, make it entirely dependent on them, and exploit it for profit. It's a seemingly dark and vicious cycle.

Lakshmi and Ramabadhran are two of the eight elephants featured in Gods in Shackles. The plight of these two elephants rings true for approximately 700 captive elephants of Kerala that are suffering physical and emotional torture, so humans can make money under the guise of culture and religion. You can join our movement to end this cruel cycle by clicking HERE.

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]]>Kerala's Elephants Are Under The Lens Of Supreme Court Of Indiatag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2015:/theblog//3.88921582015-12-30T16:44:26-05:002015-12-30T16:59:01-05:00Sangita Iyerhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sangita-iyer/Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA) and Asian Nature Conservation Foundation (ANCF) in 2005, and although the results until 2012 have been released, the research is ongoing.

In an exclusive interview, Suparna Ganguly, the Hon. Secretary of CUPA decried, told me there are more than 3500 elephants in captivity being exploited for profit in tourism, and in festivals under the guise of religion, while some are forced to walk beneath the blistering heat on hot tar roads for begging, so the owners can stuff their pockets, even as these innocent animals suffer. A really pathetic plight of Asian elephants, declared as India's Heritage animal and worshiped as Lord Ganesha's embodiment.

December is a particularly torturous season for the more than 700 elephants of Kerala, but a profitable one for their owners and brokers, with the festival season kicking off across the state. They use mostly bull elephants for display, as people are fascinated by their majestic tusks that only male Asian Elephants possess. Sadly these animals are paraded even during their musth -- an annual cycle when the bulls are in their peak mating season. In fact I've heard disturbing stories that they're deprived of water, and made to starve, so their dominant musth tendencies, deemed "aggressive" can be repressed.

Unable to withstand the heat and starvation some elephants kill their mahouts, while others run amok. According to the Secretary of the Heritage Animal Task Force, Mr. V. K. Venkitachalam, a total of five elephants ran amok on December the 25th, killing two mahouts during the week of Christmas. He estimates that in 2015 there's been

People Rejoice as the Poor Elephant Struggles to Push the Massive Chariot

Photo: V. K. Venkitachalam, Secretary, Heritage Animal Task Force

Venkitachalam bemoans,

"Both the police, the revenue and forest officials remain as mute spectators on this type of abusing Elephant as part of the chariot festival. Even though we had lodged complaint in this regard, Palakkad District Collector and Palakkad Assistant Conservator of Forest of Social Forestry Department, all of them remain mute spectators. The Elephant was tortured there to push the chariot under scorching sunlight."

His observation aligns with the eight-year joint study mentioned above which suggests, the state governments are in bed with the elephant owners who are renting out elephants to the forest departments for a fee. Ganguly confirmed that some of these elephants are used in government run forest camps for tourist rides in national parks and tiger reserves, as well as for patrolling and anti-depredation squads in their efforts to curb poaching.

Given the magnitude of the crisis, a leading wildlife organization in India, Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center (WRRC), co-founded by Ganguly, moved swiftly to launch a supreme court case, aiming to eradicate the root of the problem. They zoomed in on the illegal capture of the endangered Asian elephants from the wild that are torn from their families, and then tortured, trained and exploited for profit. With all the evidence gathered from the eight-year study, and the numerous complaints lodged by animal activist organizations in Kerala the Supreme Court case was launched in July 2014. Ganguly stated,

"Our petition has been to put the spotlight on the abuses and violations of laws that are being committed on elephants in captivity and the role of the State and central government in not being able to curb illegal ownerships, interstate smuggling of elephants, rampant commercial use, absence of all welfare and monitoring."

To further strengthen the Supreme Court case, a 10 minute segment from Gods in Shackles portraying compelling evidence of torture and abuse has been submitted. Ganguly said,

"We will submit the DVD of the edited version sent and the print out of the photographs in enlarged versions with our application to Supreme Court, pleading relief for these elephants. I am confident that somewhere the movie will deeply affect people's sensibilities and touch their hearts in effecting changes that are difficult to foresee now but are bound to happen. The power of visual media cannot be underestimated, especially with Gods in Shackles."

WRRC has requested the Supreme Court of India to implement key steps to end illegal capture of wild elephants and abuse of captive elephants. Among them:

Ownership certificate be granted to elephant owners only after embedding elephant with a microchip, so their movements can be tracked to prevent illegal transfer.

Conduct a census of all captive elephants in the country, preferably with the assistance of independent experts.

Set-up lifetime care facilities for rehabilitation of abused and abandoned elephants as well as those under government custody.

Set-up of effective monitoring and accountability mechanisms under the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 and issue mandatory rules for the maintenance and upkeep of elephants in captivity.

Ban use of elephants in religious functions and for exhibition as this causes unnecessary pain and suffering to the elephants. Such a ban would reduce the demand for captive elephants.

In just over a year into the court battle, one major victory already. The Hon. Judge of India's Supreme Court has placed an outright ban on elephant rides effective November 2015. The case is expected to last for three to five years, based on the swift actions of the respondents, and only time will reveal the fate of Kerala's suffering elephants that deserve to live a shackle-free life.

Meantime, you can join our movement in helping us free these tormented souls by visiting our campaign page. You can become part of our legacy by clicking here.

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]]>The Intrinsic Value Of Elephants Far Supersede Their Monetary Valuetag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2015:/theblog//3.83819802015-10-27T12:04:44-04:002016-10-27T05:12:01-04:00Sangita Iyerhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/sangita-iyer/they bought tusks of captive elephants from the state. A popular daily in India reports, one of the traders was arrested in New Delhi, after law enforcement authorities raided his home and seized 487 kilos of ivory worth more than 120,000,000 Indian Rupees i.e. $1.8 million USD.

This is of grave concern as India is a global hot spot for the endangered Asian elephants. According to Dr. Raman Sukumar, a world renowned elephant expert featured in my documentary Gods in Shackles:

"India holds about 30,000 wild elephants and 50 per cent of those elephants are found in Southern India. And in the whole of Asia, the estimate is approximately 50,000 elephants. India holds about 60 per cent of the global population of the Asian elephants in the wild."

India has a moral obligation to save this global treasure. But sadly, elephants are being captured illegally from the wild for the illicit ivory trade, and exploited commercially. Kerala has more than 700 captive elephants, mostly male, the largest number in any given Indian state. Most of these elephants are leased out like commodities, for cultural festivals, as temples and owners make hundreds of thousand of dollars per festival season as I previously wrote on The Huffington Post.

People seem to have become so blinded by their quest for material wealth, power and status quo, that they can't seem to recognize the intrinsic values of elephants.

Elephants are a keystone species, which means the survival of other species in the forest ecosystem depends on the elephants. In an email interview with me, Petter Granli, Co-founder and Executive Director of Elephant Voices said, elephants are "constant gardeners", as they graze and/or browse for up to 18 hours a day on 100-400 different species of plants, barks, roots, depending on their habitat.

"Seeds pass through their system and get left behind along their trails. Many ecosystems would collapse or dramatically change character if the elephants disappeared - they have an amazing seed dispersal capacity."

Due to their ability to disperse seeds across vast areas, the forest ecosystems have high density of trees and plants that produce oxygen that we need to survive, and take in carbon-di-oxide, acting as natural air purifiers. Without this widespread dispersal, the seeds will drop beneath the tree and decay or get eaten by other creatures.

Clearly, the inherent values of elephants far exceed that which humans place on them. Furthermore, these values have existed long before humans discovered them. But even more awe inspiring are the spiritual values that elephants naturally possess, and humans can certainly emulate in their daily lives. According to Granli,

"Elephants are highly intelligent, long-lived animals, with feelings and empathy. They are self-aware and aware of death, they think ahead and about the past. They grieve and show their pain and losses, and have a huge social network they interact with. Each means something for many others and many will feel sad or even traumatized when an individual is no more. It is very clear to me that elephants are incredibly valuable in their own rights."

Gods in Shackles is a feature length investigative documentary film that highlights the intrinsic values of elephants, while exposing their commercial exploitation under the guise of culture and religion. This film features a heartwarming story of Lakshmi, a temple elephant who displayed immense reverence for another sentient being. During our walk to the temple where she works, we noticed a dead cat on the road. She paused respectfully before its body, contemplated for a few seconds, and then stepped aside carefully, even as the oblivious drivers drove over the cat's little corpse. Lakshmi is but one of seven temple elephants featured in the film.

The ethics of nature dictates that humans are no more intrinsically valuable than any other living being and should see themselves as equal members of Earth's community. We need to revere all life and expand our moral responsibility to include every living being.

In his published article Environmental Ethics, Rolmes Rolston III an American philosophy professor, dispels the notion that human beings are the only species capable of valuing nature. He says every single organism is capable of using its own intrinsic value for the survival of its species. Arne Naess, a Norwegian philosopher who coined the term Deep Ecology, says,

"the value of non-human life-forms is independent of the usefulness of the non-human world for human purposes".

Hans Jonas, a twentieth century German Philosopher, advocates the concept of responsibility towards the planet and all its inhabitants. According to Jonas, humans have not fully understood the consequences of the extinction of non-human species, as their swift actions fail to consider long term implications.

"The gap between the ability to foretell and the power to act creates a novel moral problem" (Jonas, 1984, p. 7).

Closing this gap is a moral imperative during a very critical period in our planet's history. Perhaps this is our last best chance to save the endangered Asian elephants.

If you are inspired to help us create awareness of the intrinsic values of Asian elephants, click here: Gods in Shackles

Correction: A previous version of this piece stated that law enforcement authorities seized 487 kilos of ivory worth more than $120,000,000, when it was actually 120,000,000 Indian Rupees.